Trigger warning: DV

I knew this book would involve an abusive husband. It is a central theme that can be dark and terrifying at times. It can be heavy. Despite this, it is a creative story about the different paths our life can take if we make different choices. It is also hopeful and inspiring. This one is going to stick with me.

Thank you Netgalley for the opportunity to read and review this title

The Names can be described as a "what-if" novel, narrating three different possible family stories in parallel timelines, all diverging from the same momentous decision. Cora and Gordon have just welcomed their second child, a baby boy. Each of them has an individual preference for the baby's name, and their 9-year-old daughter Maia has yet another idea she likes. When Cora goes to register the baby's birth and complete his birth certificate, each possible choice will spark a different outcome, in a story that's narrated for the baby boy and his family at seven year intervals.

With this fascinating premise and a unique structure, the novel captivated me from the start, and my enthusiasm never waned. Its interesting well-developed characters, the perceptive descriptions of their motivations and reactions, and consistently excellent writing make it hard to believe this is a debut novel, and to hope it's only the first of many more for this talented author. Though it's still early in the month, I'm confident this one will be my favorite read this month.

Thank you to #NetGalley and publisher Pamela Dorman Books for providing a free ARC in exchange for an objective review.

Florence Knapp's debut novel, *The Names*, has truly shattered my reading experience! Ever since I finished it days ago, I’ve struggled to immerse myself in another book. The narrative unfolds through three parallel storylines, each more captivating than the last.

In the first arc, we meet Cora, a devoted mother of two, who finds herself registering her son's name. She bravely chooses to honor her 9-year-old daughter's suggestion, fully aware that her controlling husband will disapprove of her defiance in not opting for his name.

In the second storyline, Cora takes a different path, giving her son a name that, while not her daughter's choice, remains independent of her husband's wishes as well.

The third thread reveals her yielding to expectations, as she names her son after her husband, encapsulating the struggle between compliance and individuality.

Each of these decisions leads to profoundly different outcomes, spanning several decades, allowing readers to witness how the reverberations of that single choice—an act of defiance or surrender—unfolds, spotlighting the weight of names and the choices we make.

This book resonated with me deeply and deserves a solid five stars. It was an undeniably propulsive read. There are important content warnings for domestic violence and grief, themes that linger long after the last page is turned. I know I will carry this story with me for a long time.

A heartfelt thank you to Pamela Dorman Books and Netgalley for providing this debut ARC.

In THE NAMES, Florence Knapp executes beautifully on a totally unique concept. Cora has three potential names in mind when it comes time to name her newborn baby. What she decides will change her and her family's lives forever — as we get to see play out on all three timelines, following along and checking in every seven years to see the consequences of naming the child Gordon like his father, Bear like his sister Maia suggests, or Julian as Cora has been contemplating.

The reverberations from this decision resonate in unexpected ways, exploring familial trauma and domestic abuse through excellent writing that highlights beauty and tragedy in equal measure. At times I had trouble keeping track of which events and characters belonged to which timeline, but overall this is a beautiful book that will appeal to a broad audience.

Thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Group Viking Books/Pamela Dorman Books for this advance readers copy, in exchange for an honest review. The Names is an exploration of the concept that our names can have a defining impact on our lives. The story starts when our main character, Cora, goes to register her sons birth and what follows are three alternating versions of Cora, her son’s, and the rest of her family’s life— each different and affected by the choice of her son’s first name.

This book was absolutely beautiful and drew me in from the first chapter! I did not expect this book to be as emotional as it was but, right from the first few chapters, my heart was bleeding for these characters. I had to keep reading, in the hopes that things would turn around for them and to see how each of the alternate storylines would turn out. The author handles sensitive topics like domestic abuse and trauma with a delicate hand and really does justice to her characters.

I would absolutely recommend checking trigger warnings before reading this book, as the subject matters discussed are quite heavy and are upsetting to read. However, with that said, it is a very compelling read and an important one I think. This was such a unique premise and despite the shifting alternate storylines, I wad eager to return to each one and to see where the time jumps landed the reader.

Overall, this is a wonderful book and I know it will land for many readers once it’s available. I would definitely recommend it to contemporary fiction readers and look forward to seeing what the book world thinks when this is published!

I'm grateful for the complimentary copy of this book through NetGalley. Many thanks to the publisher, Viking, an imprint of Penguin Random House, and the author, Florence Knapp, for the privilege to read this advanced copy. The honest opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

First and foremost, I loved this book. It is like no other book that I have read. I could not wait to get back to this book when life interrupted reading it. I seldom rate a book 5 stars, but this one definitely deserves it.

The setting is in the UK. Assigning the name of a new baby at the registrar starts the story. Whether naming the baby a name his young sister likes (Bear), a name the mother likes (Julian) or the generational familial name all baby boys receive (Gordon) provides the three story threads of the book. Each "child" thread provides a different perspective to familial relationships. At the core of the book is life with domestic abuse, the messiness of life with all who experience or witness abuse.

The book covers domestic abuse and homosexuality. If these topics make you uncomfortable, read this book. You will gain a better understanding in an inspiring way. One key thing you'll learn is that domestic violence can be deceptive.

This is a book I recommend to anyone. It's just a good book that you won't forget. I'm so glad I had the opportunity to read it!

Beautiful writing unputdownable a story of names of how your name can form your destiny.From the first chapter I was drawn in and knew this was a special read.Will be recommending this special read.#netgalley #viking penguin

This is a beautifully written, intriguing book. I love the parallel lives, road-not-taken kind of narrative, and this was expertly done. The alternating chapters describe in seven year increments the lives of Cora, her daughter, Maia, and her son, with different results depending on whether she had named her son Gordon, after her abusive husband and as he demanded; Julian, as she wanted; or Bear, as young Maia preferred. The domestic violence is difficult to read, and each of the three narratives has many tragic elements. After the second seven-year jump, I decided I would rather read each named narrative to its completion--first Bear, then Julian, then Gordon--rather than reading chronologically. I thought it worked very well this way, but I also think the author made a good, and perhaps the better, decision to present it as she did. If I read it again, as I very well might, I'll read it as written. Many thanks to Penguin Group/Viking Penguin/Pamela Dorman Books and NetGalley for an e-ARC of this book. I'll definitely be strongly recommending it and I look forward to discussing it with other readers.

I thought the premise was very clever - does your first name define you in any way? How would your life be different if you were called something else? Cora has three potential names for her baby. The first is Gordon, which is her abusive husband's name and the name that his family tradition dictates. Julian is the name Cora prefers. Nine-year-old big sister Maia wants the baby's name to be Bear. The reader is shown, in seven-year increments, the outcome of this baby's life, theoretically based on which name Cora put down on the birth registration.

While I was intrigued by the idea, the theory that the name changed the baby's fate didn't hold up for me. Clearly, how Cora's choice of name made her feel dictated how she acted towards both her husband and the baby. The child could have been called anything; it was the mother's choices and attitudes that dictated the course of that baby's life. Was that the point, and I missed it, being too fixated on the name?

Overall, I enjoyed the book - it was creative and engaged my curiosity. It's not a light-hearted read, but it's an important examination into a woman's choices in an abusive situation and how those may affect her children.

Today is the day Cora must fill out the paperwork at the birth registrars office. She goes into town with little Maia by her side and baby boy in his pram. Silently grieving, she cannot imagine naming this beautiful child Gordon after his father and father’s father. The name denotes a history of arrogant, ruthless men who control her life. As a physician, everyone imagines her husband Gordon is a dream, a catch. Handsome, kind to his patients, intelligent and able to provide all the luxuries life has to offer. Little do they realize what her life is behind the closed doors of their home, virtually a prison. Cora imagines what life would be like to name the baby Julian, while 8 year old Maia dreams of Bear. Cora also envisions the terrifying consequences of going against her husband’s wishes. As the reader delves into the parallel worlds the boy’s given name dictates his future self and in turn simultaneously affects completely different lives for both Maia and Cora. Although the description of domestic abuse is extremely difficult to digest, this debut novel is both gorgeously written and heartbreaking. The themes of generational trauma, personal identity and motherhood make this layered story a thought provoking and necessary read.

Thank you to #VikingPenguin and #NetGalley for the DRC of #TheNames. The opinions expressed here are entirely my own.

I don't give out 5 stars easily or regularly. And to do it for a debut novel is extraordinary. I LOVED this book. It will likely be my best book of the year and I won't stop talking about it until everyone I know has read it.

This is the story of the Atkin family, told over 35 years. It starts when Cora goes to register the birth of her son. What follows are 3 alternate versions of their lives, based on her son's name, jumping forward 7 years each chapter. Each "story" illustrates the far-reaching impacts of this seemingly simple choice. The structure makes the book unique, but it's the characters and the writing that will pull you in and hold you close.

This book does deal with some heavy subjects - domestic violence, sexual assault, bullying - so take care if these topics are hard for you. But this story is beautiful and heartbreaking and hopeful while the epilogue caught me completely by surprise.

Thinking about your name is an interesting exercise. Does your name identify you? Can you imagine yourself with a different name? Would it make a difference? In this story it definitely makes a difference to each member of the family.

The three stories were well told and the reader got to know each person; felt for each person—especially the mom.

You’ll be glad you read it—and you’ll be telling your friends about it.

The opening chapter sets the scene(s). One decision to be made splinters into three paths, equally riveting, hopeful and heartbreaking. The "what-ifs" that this novel explores are so thought-provoking and emotionally layered that they all seem more than possible. The characters feel like they really do exist in my mind and heart, which is the standard to which I hold my favorite novels. Beautiful and highly recommended.

Occasionally someone says, "you rate too many novels 5 stars." So I thought about this and attribute it to the following: 1) I am choosy about what I read and do my research before requesting a DRC, accepting a DRC or purchasing a book so the odds are high it will have merit and be good; 2) as a lifelong voracious reader, I recognize and appreciate a novel that is compelling, well-written and says something new; and 3) what does a rating system even mean. Which brings me to The Names by Florence Knapp. This is truly an outstanding, compulsively readable, unique, five star read. Knapp offers us a sliding doors novel of three versions of one woman's life - but the sliding doors in this case is a name - how does a name - in this the 3 names Cora bestows on her newborn son in 3 different versions of her life - define someone and what happens to our life as a result? This book is harrowing - the 3 "lives" all deal with domestic abuse. But there is beauty in the horror and an understanding of what it means to have a life well lived despite the odds. The highest of recommendations. Thank you to PENGUIN GROUP Viking Penguin | Pamela Dorman Books and NetGalley for the DRC.

This will most likely be a celebrity book club pick, calling it now. This is the kind of story that offers up a plethora of introspection and have you contemplating your own name and those you’ve named.

Knapp wastes no time opening up this story by introducing us to Cora and her teenage daughter Maia as they set off to register her sons name, her husband insists on his own namesake but the women have other ideas. The story then follows our characters through three name choices, Bear, Julian and Gordon. From here we see the impact that each given name ripples through all their lives with various outcomes.

This was really emotional at times, often hopeful and in parts very hard to read, please check your trigger warnings, but ultimately it is a tale about the choices we make and the people we become.

With its sliding doors style narrative Knapp excels at plot and storytelling, I think in this case the book could of been longer to work a bit harder at the development of each character but thats ok it is still solid enough enthral the reader.

I didn't like the first chapter when Cora is told to register her son's birth and to give him the same name as is father. That kind of ordering a spouse to do something did not sit well with me. I cheered her as she took matters into her own hands. I hated it when hubby took matters into his hands.

Chapter two starts off the same, but this time Cora makes a different choice.

Chapter three is when we see what happens when she obeys and obey is the only way to describe this.

Chapter four is chapter one seven years down the road. The rest of the chapters follow this pattern which took some getting used to,. but it grew on me. The idea of what happens when different choices are made was a great idea even if the results were not all good.

While not liking the subject matter, I did really like the way it was done and have mentioned to many that it is well worth reading.

Thank you Net Galley for an advance reader copy. Honest opinions expressed here are my own and are freely given.

The Names by Florence Knapp was a book unlike any other I have read before. It seems to be getting many great advanced reviews and it is absolutely deserving of them. This novel is told in three alternating storylines based on three different names that the main character could have been given at birth. What results is a beautiful and nuanced story of a family attempting to survive and overcome domestic abuse and forge their own identities in the process. I loved the way that the plot and storylines overlapped, while still being unique from one another.

It takes some getting used to when jumping from one point in time to another since there are three different versions of Bear/ Julian/ and Gordon's life but once you get the hang of it the story is quite profound and moving. I couldn't help but root for each character and looked forward to seeing where they would each end up. This one comes out in a couple of months so put your names on hold at the library now!

This is one of those books that you can't stop thinking about or talking about. Knapp explores the different paths a life can take based on something as simply, yet powerful, as a name. Read this in one night. Heartbreaking and moving, it is one I won't soon forget. Knapp is a master storyteller.

Luminous and unforgettable, THE NAMES is a well-told story that deserves to become a modern classic. Knapp's writing is lovely, and the various narratives she weaves are both entertaining and thought-provoking. Highly recommended for fans of literary fiction.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an advance e-galley; all opinions in my review are 100% my own.

The Names
by Florence Knapp
Pub Date: May 6, 2025
Thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.
It was a difficult brutal read--- but so good!
With exceptional sensitivity and depth, Knapp draws us into the story of one family, told through a prism of what-ifs, causing us to consider the "one . . . precious life" we are given. The book’s brilliantly imaginative structure, propulsive storytelling, and emotional, gut-wrenching power are certain to make The Names a modern classic.
I enjoyed the three parallel story lines, endearing and gut-wrenching characters, engrossing prose. Great for literary and commercial fiction readers!

TW: Domestic violence